Divine Sorceress
by Teefa and Co
Summary: After the anime ended, Kagestu goes up to the mountain to think on his life. Months later, Tiara and Lena are sent on a mission to secure the peace of the Guardian World by giving Tiara a new power. But she has to do what?
1. Tiara's New Mission

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Tiara's New Mission

"Are you sure about this, Kagetsu?" inquired Tiara, "You're really going away? But why? For what reason do you have to leave this place? I mean, the Elder forgave you after you brought the Throne of Yord back, because he understood you did everything for Sara and the fact that the talisman has gained new and greater strengths because of this. But why in the world do you find it necessary to leave for the mountains?"  


She was standing in front of the house once shared by Kagetsu and his younger sister. Her ever faithful Partner, Japolo, was seated on the left shoulder of his princess. Behind Tiara stood both Lena and Leon, who had also come to see why the young man was going away. Tiara wanted to see if they could stop him from leaving, she didn't want to lose him again. But Lena was more resigned to the fact that there was most likely nothing they could do, and if she loved him she would let him take the time off to think.

"Understand, Tiara. Many things have happened in the past few weeks. I need time to sort out my life, now that Sara will never return. By the end of the summer, however, I will come back to this house. Then, we can figure out where to go from here. Japolo, continue to be a good Partner to Tiara, keep her out of trouble. Lena, take care of yourself. Leon, stick by Lena when she needs your help. I want all four of you to understand that this is for the best," Kagetsu informed the others. He walked past Tiara, a tear on his cheek. The man was heading towards the Western Mountains, known for their solitude and peace.

Tiara watched as he left, wondering why he felt that way. Why couldn't he just try to get through this with the help of his friends? They could see and talk to Sara anytime by visiting the Throne of Yord, the Elder had given them permission as childhood friends of the girl. Surely Lena, Leon, Japolo, and herself would never leave Kagetsu in such a state. Didn't he realize that not telling someone his problems would make them worse? Heck, the last time he failed to talk about what had happened and how he felt, he'd gone and stolen the Throne of Yord, without seeing if Tiara or Lena would be able to figure out another road.

* * *

The Spring turned to Summer, and Summer to Fall. But Kagetsu never came back. Sara had told the girls that he was ok, she would have known through the Throne's power if something had happened to her brother. So Tiara simply assumed he was taking longer than he'd expected to think about whatever had sent him to the mountains without asking for the support of his friends in his time of need. Of course, that didn't mean that she wasn't angry with him. The Throne of Yord was kept in the Western Mountains, so he could have at least left some sort of message with Sara. Then they could give her messages for him.

One week, just before Winter's beginning, Tiara was before the Elder. She was being briefed on her next mission, and it seemed like it would be important. In fact, it was so important that Lena had to come along, since the Elder wanted two of his best Princesses on the case. Both girls knelt right before him, with Leon and Japolo in the back. Because he was so tiny, Tiara's Partner had to stand on Leon's shoulder.

The Elder told them, "As you may or may not be aware, four Princesses and one male Magic User were attacked by demons just this past week. The boy, and two of the girls, did not make it. The other two girls were badly wounded and lost their Partners in the assault. These wicked beasts must be stopped. Therefore, I need the two of you to head up into the Northern Hills, to the home of Divine Sorceress Sienna. She will have a series of tasks for Tiara to complete, that will assure our future. Lena, you are to go and supplement Tiara in her effort. Remember, the fate of the Guardian World rests in the hands of you two."

With that, they were dismissed. Both girls agreed to meet the next day at noon, after packing the necessary items for their journey. Once the two of them arrived at the pond they had designated for the meeting, they would begin the two day journey into the hills. For in order to teleport to a place, one of two factors must be present. First, you must be able to picture in your mind where you wish to go. So if they had never seen the mountains, they would be unable to reach them with a spell. When it came to travel to the Other World for missions, there was a special gate that could show the Magic User a picture of that world and the target area. Using that, they could form the necessary mind photo for the spell to be cast.

That was how, the next day, the two rivals met and began walking towards the hills. Tiara looked at Lena. "So, I wonder what the Elder needs me to do? And how come I have to bring someone else along to help me? This has got to be some really big task. Else he just needs some fodder for the demons while I'm working. But either way, it's kind of ironic that he's teamed me up with you for this mission. Must be because of what happened with the Throne of Yord last spring." She sighed, Tiara really didn't want to go with her rival on such an important mission. Luckily, there was no need for them to squabble this time.

"Either the Throne of Yord," Lena deduced, "Or it could be because the two of us grew up together. I don't know, the Elder is so cryptic at times." She looked to Leon, who simply shrugged. After all, if the two Magic Users couldn't figure out what the Elder meant, then it would be way out of his league to do so.

After the two days had passed, they arrived in the Northern Hills. The beautiful rolling highlands were dusted with snow, as was to be expected at this time of year. It brought back memories to Tiara, from when she was only five years old, and playing in the snow with her friends. Sara had been trying to build a snowman, but the head wouldn't roll anymore. When she and Lena tried to help out, the three ended up pushing too hard and breaking it. Kagetsu, who'd been watching these antics from the bench while reading, came over and tried to help his sister and the other girls out. Tiara thought of these events, and sighed.

'Why hasn't he returned? Nothing bad has happened, what is he keeping from us. He comes back after the whole Throne of Yord disaster, is home for barely a week, and then decides to take a trip to the mountains for the summer. But he doesn't come back even as winter is setting in. And I bet it's a horrible one up there. Whatever his problem is, not getting any help is not doing him any good,' Tiara thought.

- - - -

But why would Kagetsu go up in the mountains for that long do you ask? The answer…plot device! Besides, it makes sense. I wondered what would happen when they got back together. Remember, Kagetsu did kill her first Partner, even if it was in self defense. I would have been feeling a little awkward after that. After all, he wasn't a heartless murderer, circumstance just led things to happen like they did. Tiara would seem like the type who would try to make things work out no matter what happened, but Kagetsu might just need to think about what would be best. He did take awhile to decide to steal the Throne of Yord to save Sara, probably tried to think of other ways first. The mountains would be a place he could go and not worry about having Tiara or Lena around to impair his judgment.


	2. Sienna's Plan

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Sienna's Plan

Finally, late in the afternoon, the two Princesses and their Partners arrived at a small cabin. In the front yard, fast asleep, was a black cat with a golden collar and hood. On the front of the hood was a small opal. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this creature must be the partner of Lady Sienna.

Tiara knocked on the door. But the person who opened it wasn't the sorceress. He was a man who appeared to be in his mid twenties, with brown hair tied in a ponytail and deep blue eyes. His pants were jade green, and his shirt was tan. Down the front, on the shoulders, and on the sleeves there was a pattern of golden bars with vertical black lines stitched into the shirt. He also had on leather boots and a single spectacle over his left eye, the frame of it done in gold. The four wondered just who he really was.

"Greetings," the man began, "I am Miro, Partner to my Lady Sienna. Allow me to bring you to her. The Elder sent word that he would give her the aid she desired, and my lady has been awaiting your arrival." He motioned for them to come inside, and they did. Then, Miro led them down the hall towards Sienna.

'If he's the partner, then who is that cat? Could it just be a pet? But something tells me that the creature has some sort of magical power. Perhaps a spell of some sorts that only can be done by one of the Divine Sorceresses. The Elder didn't even tell me what kind of requirements this would take,' Japolo thought. Ever since becoming Tiara's Partner, he would be briefed separately with special notes that only he needed to know. Sometimes, it was as simple as an enemy weakness, just in case Tiara decided to not heed caution during a fight, even if her condition was bad. Or it could be something as important as Lena being in the same area and Sara being a human sacrifice to the Throne of Yord that he was keeping.

Soon, they made it to Sienna's sitting chambers. Her magenta hair was worn down, falling over her slender shoulders, and her chocolate brown eyes stared intently at the book in front of her. Sienna wore a blue robe with a similar pattern to the one on Miro's sleeves etched onto her collar and sleeves. Also, there was a long cloth scarf with the same pattern tied around her waist, falling down to the floor. She was seated at the table, enjoying her tea and cake, while reading her magic books. It looked like she was busy now.

"My Lady Sienna. The Princesses have come to see you as the Elder promised. They appear to be quite capable, hopefully one of them will have the suitable conditions needed to become your successor," Miro stated. That made both Tiara and Lena's hearts nearly jump out of their chests. Succeed the Divine Sorceress?! That was the mission they had been sent for! But what were the conditions Miro spoke of?

Sienna looked at them, and said, "I think they'll do just fine. Miro, go and retrieve Yami from the front yard. I will need her here if we are to test for suitability. Only through the three of us can we read the souls of the candidates." Miro nodded, and went back the way they'd came, in order to retrieve the cat.

Lena looked to Sienna. "Excuse me, but the Elder said that Tiara was the one who had to perform the tasks, and I was to supplement her. What exactly are these tasks? And why must you read our souls? We were kind of left in the dark about the true nature of this mission, told you would supply all the answers."

"It's simple," Sienna replied, "By reading her soul, I can see if the right events have occurred. Of course, if the Elder sent her specifically and you as backup, then she has the credentials. He knows who must come to me. Only one who has lost their first Partner can try to become the Divine Sorceress. Since you were sent as well, he must be worried about the Mihan Demons trying to interfere. You need to help hold them off as long as you can, just until the one you call Tiara can take the first test, Test of Retrieval."

'By losing Graham, I became eligible for the position of Divine Sorceress. What would he say if he heard that? Probably be happy that I would be gaining new powers, that I would be much safer. Or he could be worried about the demons, if I am to become this person just to fight them. And what would Kagetsu say? Would he think that I got put in this danger because of him? Or be mad at the Elder for deciding that I, and not the other two girls who lost Partners, should be the one to come here,' she mused.

Sienna continued, "As I was about to say, the Test of Retrieval is quite difficult, but I'm sure one with the magical powers you have can handle it. I don't need Miro and Yami here to sense that. I will make three lifelines that connect you to this world. Then, there is a pair of lines that connect to you directly to the ferret, and your deceased Partner. The latter must be tossed by you, so it wraps around him. Once tossed, you must fight your way through the beasts that inhabit the Underworld, in search of his soul. Finally, when found, you must cast the return spell through your connector to the world, and take all three of you back to this one. For in order to become the Divine Sorceress, you must have two Partners. But since you can't physically summon the second, you must have your first die, summon again, and then retrieve the first."  


Lena looked shocked. "So, she can get Graham back! But at what price? What dangers will Tiara have to face?" She was still kind of jealous that she wasn't the one who had to lead the expedition, but now that she knew the truth Lena assumed that the Elder was doing Tiara a favor. Tiara was still a little upset at how she and Graham hadn't been able to completely get over their argument over Kagetsu before he died.

"First of all, she only has three chances," Sienna informed them, "For in a given day, you can only make three lifelines to connect to the world, and then I am unable to make any more for the same person for a period of five years. If she is unable to find this Graham by that time, then the Elder will have to look for another candidate. I heard that three Princesses lost partners recently, so that part wouldn't be too hard to accomplish. But then you and Tiara would have to buy time for them by fighting. Second, although she can escape and sever the connection between the worlds at any time on her own, she must still take care if she is forced to defend herself in combat against one of the Mihan that might follow her into the otherworld. For if a demon destroys her lifeline during battle, Tiara will be trapped in the realm of the dead for all eternity."

- - - -

  
Of course, Tiara risking everything for Graham seems just so fitting. And cute, I like cute. I believe she wanted to make up with him, seemed like it when she talked to him before the dance. Of course, being pressed for time, she couldn't manage a full conversation to talk about the things that bothered them.


	3. Legend of the Divine Sorceress

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Legend of the Divine Sorceresses

"So, then this is do or die," Tiara stated, "And what if I say no? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have my partner back. But with all this danger, there has to be a catch. I take it there is another mission set up for me if I refuse?" Her mind was at war with itself. Part of her was screaming to take the mission, she had the power to handle it. Soon, Graham would be back, and they could make up. But the other part had to tell her to not go. It was too risky. Graham was dead, she had to move on. Tiara had no idea which one to chose. Sienna's answer would be enough to either convince her to try, or make her go back home again.

"If you refuse, it is the same as if you fail. You will fight the Mihan Demons, the same ones that had killed those other Magic Users and their Partners. But, if the boss of them all arrives, there's no way you would stand up to it. Even a Divine Sorceress is at risk fighting such a beast. That is why I need a successor, just in case I am unable to fight it myself. I have an ace in the hole, an attack that will kill the demon at the expense of my life. But my legacy and power must live on," Sienna explained. Seeing the confusion on the faces of Tiara, Lena, and Leon - - as well as Japolo's perplexed look - - she asked, "Would you like me to tell you the story of the Divine Sorceresses, their origins, and the mission they all have?"

Japolo jumped off of Tiara's shoulder and onto the table. "Well, it would help us out a whole lot. If Tiara understands more about the situation, it will help her to make her decision. So, you may begin."

"It begins many millennia ago with Yasmin," began Sienna, "She had lost her husband and Partner in an attack, so she summoned a second Partner. This one, she constructed in the image of her beloved, and gave him his name, Collin. With that, she hoped to get the one she loved back. But luck was not on Yasmin's side, and she lost him in combat not to long after. In despair, she reached out to this woman who knew many curses, Wichita. The old crone had learned of a way to walk in the land of the dead, and reel in souls magically bound to you. It would not work with a native of the Guardian World, only a Partner. But Yasmin had already summoned a third, so she knew she was pushing things. However, it didn't matter, only that Collin was back. But when she did get him back, she discovered something had changed."

"And what was that? Did this Collin not want to be around her or something?" inquired Tiara, tapping her foot on the floor. She was leaning towards risking it at the moment, and wondered if this new reversal might just make her change her mind. Hopefully not, it seemed like she owed Graham this much.

Sienna continued, "Yasmin's powers had increased, tenfold. Also, she found that she could merge together with both Collin and her new Partner, a large wolf named Shadow, in order to form a more powerful being. When the Elder found out, he was amazed. He didn't punish her, but instead kept the process a secret, just in case it was needed for some emergency. That came, five thousand years later, when the first Mihan Demons made their appearance. Two new Divine Sorceresses were created, but neither could stand up to the enemy, and died. The only good thing was that the second of them learned a spell to sacrifice ones life in order to win while in the merged form. However, more of them were poised to attack, and all seemed lost. But then a young girl of little talent named Maria came forward. She'd just lost her third partner to the Mihan, and wanted revenge. Becoming a Divine Sorceress, Maria vanquished the Mihan. She lived to a ripe old age, like with Yasmin, and died a peaceful death. Maria was given a hero's burial in a flower field near the cabin she owned all her life." The sorceress sipped her tea, and looked Tiara in the eye.

Lena looked to Leon. "This all sounds so interesting, doesn't it? Well, I wonder what Tiara thinks about this mission now? So, how about it Tiara? Gonna give it a go or are we all going to go out fighting?"

"I'm not finished yet," Sienna informed them, "The story goes on. Tiara might get turned off by the last part. Well, during that period of time the people found a different degree of strength in each of the demons they fought. Some were more powerful than others. That is why we know when the time is right to ask for a successor and when to simply fight. If it isn't necessary, we don't want to involve anyone else. You see, after Maria died, the Mihan came back. They were simply biding their time, waiting until the one who could kill them was gone. Immediately, the Elder sent for Leah, the most powerful sorceress in all the Guardian World. Upon hearing the request, her partner grabbed the sword he carried and stabbed himself to death, so Leah could take the test. His name was Orlon, and he was the most loyal person you'd ever find. Leah took up the offer, and became the Divine Sorceress. But when the war was over, they all knew it was only a matter of time before another attack. So the Elder created a potion, a potion to make Leah ageless. She could still die of wounds, but her age would be frozen at twenty two for all eternity. Unless the really evil ones appeared, she was to stay like that. But if the generals lead the Mihan into battle, she would find a successor to pass on her ageless curse to. Then, she would fight. I believe, when she passed on her power to a girl named Serena in about four thousand years, she managed to win the battle and lived on until she was an old woman. I have been serving a millennia as Divine sorceress myself. So, what will you do?"

"Well, it has its perks, and its drawbacks. On the one hand, I can get Graham back. On the other, it's extremely dangerous. Although I won't have to fight these monsters and die, I don't know if I'd like the idea of having to outlive my friends and family by millennia. But, I don't just have myself to think of this time, I'm responsible for Lena and Leon as well," Tiara debated with herself. It was a difficult decision for her.

Japolo yelled, "For heaven's sake Tiara, just go for it. If it were only the two of us I would tell you to do whatever you wanted, you're risking your life either way. But we're also putting both Lena and Leon at risk if we fight. If you just go, then they don't have to rush at the Mihan Demons along with you and die."

Tiara gave her Partner the look. "Japolo, you don't have to scream in my ear. Well, anyway, I was just debating it over with myself, and I didn't need any input from you. But, I guess I'll give it a go. I'm dead no matter what I do, and this one seems a stronger chance at survival. Besides, it'll be nice to see Graham again. Leon, I don't think you ever met him, since the first time I saw you I was in solitary and he was out arguing with Kagetsu. And Japolo definitely never met Graham since he didn't come until after he died."

At that moment, Miro came in with Yami. Sienna's nod told the two all they needed to know. Tiara saw the three of them join hands - - or in the case of Yami, who was sitting on the table, paws - - and begin to concentrate. Just then, a strand of light began to form, anchoring itself to the table. It split into three lines and one tangled onto Tiara's leg. Then, the line vanished as if it was an invisible cord. A second strand formed between the Princess's hands, and split into two. One tangled around Japolo's foot, and the other struck a wall. Suddenly, a portal opened, revealing a desolate wasteland, and the line went inside.

"Your mission lies in there Tiara," called Sienna, "Go now, and find the one who was lost."

Tiara nodded. Then, she levitated into the sky on the air currents. Finally, after she had gone inside, the portal closed. But the cord began glowing, showing Sienna that the anchor was still there.

- - - -

Long explanation equals a long chapter. Tiara would need to know all the pros and cons before taking such a dangerous mission when she had a choice. Besides, we couldn't couple the Land of the Dead with another chapter, that has to stand on its own.


	4. In the Land of the Dead

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In the Land of the Dead

For the desert like conditions they found themselves in, Tiara realized she was very cold. But it was not the air that did it to her, more like the presence of the spirits. Some were crying out for vengeance due to murder, others wanted to live on and fight. Many appeared to be the souls of Partners who had died in order to protect the Magic User they served, these ones wanted to return to their duties when they lived.

"I don't like the look of this place," commented Japolo, "Let us just hurry and find Graham so we can get out of here. Many wicked souls inhabit these realms, and we are easy targets while we traverse them. Tiara, we must walk with care, there may be pitfalls and other traps lying in wait to stop our advance."  


They walked onwards, looking every which way for a sign of Tiara's old Partner. The spirits of the long dead warriors called to her, begging her to avenge them, to reunite them with their Partners. But there was nothing Tiara could do. Her lifeline would only be able to latch onto Graham, and no one else. These souls were lost in this realm for eternity. Maybe one day they would be reunited with the ones they seek.

Suddenly, she heard a low growl. Behind Tiara was an enormous wolf with the wings of a Dragon. The young Princess looked at the reference book Sienna had passed her while they talked, it had info on every type of Mihan Demon out there. Looking this one up, she realized it was a Ryukami, a mid level Mihan Demon with powerful fiery breath and strong claws. Tiara knew that she would have to fight this one if she was to go onwards. It had come into this land in order to keep her from accomplishing the task.

"Powerful subjects, show me the source of your powers. Fulfill your contract with Tiara! Fulfill your duty! That is an order!" called Tiara. She created a field around her head as she spoke, and began to concentrate. Suddenly, air currents rose up around her. When they cleared, Tiara stood there in her demon form, grinning wickedly at the beast. Japolo took the initiative to bring up a stasis field to protect them.

But the Mihan Demon didn't aim for Tiara, now flying above him, instead it blew its fiery breath at the ground. Suddenly, the dust clouds began to part. Now they could clearly see the cliff that was next to them, with its edge dangerously close to where Tiara had stood. The beast blew a second lash of fire at the earth around Japolo, causing the rocks to crack. With one swift movement, Tiara reached out for her friend, grabbing him on the collar. But the force of the falling rocks caused the ferret to fall right out of his collar, and down the mountain. At the same time, Tiara lost her balance trying to avoid an attack. She too began to slip down the side, only catching herself after falling halfway. As Tiara looked around, she realized that she couldn't find Japolo anywhere. The woman began to worry, not noticing the demon had slipped away.

* * *

Meanwhile, Graham was relaxing under a tree at the base of the cliff. He was staring off into space, wondering how Tiara was faring since he had died. Had everything turned out ok with Kagetsu? Did he and Tiara have a fight? As much as he hated Kagetsu for how he treated Tiara at times, Graham hoped that the two had been able to make up. He didn't like seeing Tiara sad, and his death might have done that to her. At least let her have moved on, even if she was now permanently mad at Kagetsu for what happened.

Suddenly, he felt something land on his head. Picking it up, the former Partner saw that it was a small ferret with sandy fur; as well as black on the paws, tail and ears. The creature seemed to be knocked out, probably as a result from its fall. Graham poked it a little, and it began to stir. He then heard a small male voice say, "Oh, I hope I wasn't out for too long. I could already be lost." At that moment, the ferret stood on his hind legs, holding his head in his front paws. Then, he opened his large red eyes. Ironically, Japolo had found Graham. But of course, neither knew it at the time. Graham didn't know what kind of new Partner Tiara would summon, or how long the Elder would let her wait. And Japolo didn't know Graham's appearance since he had assumed that he would be sticking with Tiara the whole time they were here.

Graham looked at him. "What is going on? Is there a battle to be fought up there?" He hadn't been in a fight since the one that killed him, and his arms were itching for a good rumble. Holding the animal in his hands, Graham began to jump the cliff's edge. Of course, by this time, Tiara had begun flying around the sides, calling for her wayward Partner, so she didn't see him. Upon realizing there was no fight, the young man let out a sigh. He had so been hoping there would be a battle. But he could sense trouble.

"The demon we fought with must have escaped," Japolo stated, "Blast! Now I don't know where my Princess is. How much trouble is that girl getting into without me around? She could be taking on the entire Mihan Army behind my back just to get this over with." He began sniffing the ground impatiently. It would be just like Tiara to find the most deadly of situations when she was all alone, just her luck indeed.

"A living Princess in the Land of the Dead?! Why would one want to come here? This desolate realm is nothing but a land of sorrow. If I could have the chance, I would go back to the living world to fight alongside my Princess once more," Graham stated, clenching his clawed fist in anger and bloodlust.

Japolo explained, "You see, she is one of three who lost Partners in the past year. A war is on the horizon with the race of demons we just fought, and only one who claims the title of Divine Sorceress can win. So my Princess was chosen as the successor to the current one, so she can risk her life without losing the powers that she holds inside. We must retrieve her original Partner in order to pass the test. I can see that you are one of the spirits we felt, the ones who wish only to return to the service of a Magic User. Sadly, the only one that we can help is the one we came here for. But can you help me find her?"

Graham looked at Japolo, noticed his worry. "You, I had that look on my face when I still lived. I worried with each mission that I would fail to protect her. Even now, I take on that look whenever I think about her and what might be happening. I don't want to see that look on anyone else, so I agree to help."

With Graham as his protector, Japolo continued on to find Tiara. If he had looked closer at the man's leg, he would have seen a small white strand that had begun to glow. The lifeline that Tiara had thrown out was reacting to its proximity to the other. All that remained now was to reunite with her.

- - - -

I was going for irony of all ironies. Don't worry, they'll find Tiara in the next chapter. Oh, and about the name, Ryu is Japanese for Dragon. Okami is Japanese for Wolf. Also, Kami means god. Remember, have Japanese Dictionary, will travel.


	5. Ultima

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Ultima

"Japolo!" called Tiara as she flew around the bottom of the cliff, "Answer me, where are you?" She had the foresight to think that her Partner wouldn't fall straight down, instead perhaps be buffeted to the side by a rock in the path, but had been at the wrong place at the wrong time to witness Graham and Japolo as they climbed up. It was again, just Tiara's luck that she would have a much more difficult time with this.

Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation come through her. Tiara then saw it look as if parts of her body were almost phasing out, and new parts simply appearing. Her left arm appeared to be an artificial gold claw like Graham's, her feet seemed to be furry with pointed claws like Japolo's, a furry ferret's tail was suddenly behind her, and she could feel a half mask over her left cheek. But just as suddenly as these changes began to occur, they vanished. Tiara was left to wonder what exactly was going on with this now.

"I wonder, could this be the fusion attack that was spoken about by Sienna? Or am I just going crazy? It had better be the former, because I don't want anyone to see me go insane. Wouldn't that just go over well with the Elder, he'd have me committed to solitary confinement for the rest of my life," she said.

* * *

Meanwhile, both Graham and Japolo were feeling the effects too. Graham thought he saw his claw arm vanish, the arm Tiara had crafted for him. Then, he felt his mask begin to fade. Japolo nearly freaked as his legs and tail seemed to just disappear. But when the field left them, they were both whole and a little confused. This didn't seem like something that happens everyday. There was definitely another force at work here, but neither of them knew exactly what this other force was. However, they were on their guards.

Suddenly, another growl caused them to turn. There, coming out from behind the rocks, were a whole squadron of the Ryukami. It looked as if the plan to separate the Princess from her Partner had been intended, now they could deal with the lifelines attached to Japolo and Graham, trapping them. Tiara would then be forced to retreat, and come back without aid. Else she wouldn't be able to make it back home.

Japolo asked, "What now? These are dangerous beasts, their fiery breath is enough to melt the rocks around us. I do not know about you, but a strategic retreat might be for the best. We must meet up with my Princess, and then work together to destroy the demons one at a time. Better safe than sorry."

Graham licked his lips. "As for me, I want to fight. I can't be killed a second time, so I can buy you the necessary moments that it will take to get away. You find the Magic User you came with, I have my own duties. In the name of my Lady Tiara, I will destroy all of these demons!" He then transformed his right arm into whips of flesh, and latched onto several of the Mihan Demons. Dragging them close, Graham drew his claw arm to slash them all. Japolo simply looked on, he knew now that this must be the one he seeked.

But Japolo had one minor problem, there were enough Ryukami to block his path as well as to deal with Graham. He wouldn't be able to bring Tiara to help. All he could do was fight with his feeble battle skills and hope she came before it was too late. So he too barred his teeth, and struck out at the first one.

* * *

Tiara felt it again, the strange sensation. But this time she didn't see her body phasing in and out. That was a good sign, now to get her rear in gear and find Japolo. Something told her the sensation and her wayward Partner were connected. So she began to fly around the mountain again, and the emanations that hit her were coming on stronger. Finally, she spotted the fray, but due to the sheer number of demons she couldn't get a clear view of the participants. However, she knew that one of them was definitely Japolo.

The young woman flew into the battlefield at top speed, landing right next to the ferret. By this time he was practically spent, having fought against so many at once. Unlike Graham, Japolo had little skills to aid him in multiple combat. Graham could strangle several at once with the morphing arm and still have his claw ready to watch for attacks from the rear. Also, Japolo's size made him vulnerable to most enemies.

"There you are," Tiara whispered as she picked him up, "We've got to get out of here, we can't fight so many at once." But just as she said that, the sensation hit her again. This time, Tiara let out a scream as pain shot through her physical shell. Suddenly, Japolo vanished, his energy becoming one with Tiara's. Across the battlefield Graham did the same. Winds whipped around the woman, and she transformed into the form that Sienna had spoken of; the fused form of a Magic User and two Partners, the form Ultima.

In this new form, Tiara still had her red hair that flowed behind her head like wings, and her golden eyes. But now, her black leather clothing was a little less revealing, covering her neck, breasts, torso, and rear with only a little hole for her bellybutton. Graham's claw and mask adorned her left, while she also had acquired Japolo's tail and legs. A pair of gold bands were present as well, one on the right upper arm and a second on the left upper leg. Now, Tiara was ready to do battle with the Mihan demons all by herself.

"So, this is the fusion power that Sienna told me about. I can feel you both are with me; Graham, Japolo. With all our powers combined, we can destroy the Mihan Demons," Tiara spoke out loud. As the Magic User, she had primary control over movement and her voice was the one heard when she spoke. But in her mind she could hear the voices of her Partners, both ready to give advice when she needed it.

Tiara flew up into the air, higher than the Mihan Demons could reach. Then, she began to chant, "Power of the Universe, come to me now. I am Tiara, Divine Sorceress, and master of Ultima. Aid me in this battle, to slay the enemies that lay before me. Now, obliterate!" Suddenly, a great surge of power left her hands. It began to explode, showering each one of the Mihan Demons with light. Then, they were gone.

The walls of the Land of the Dead began fading out. Tiara found herself on the grass outside of the cottage once more. Lena - - who had gone outside to sit in the sun - - and Leon - - who was guarding her in case the Mihan Demons appeared - - wondered just what had appeared before them. It looked like Tiara, when she was transformed, but there were other features that didn't fit. And where was Japolo anyway?  


Their worries were assured shortly thereafter. Tiara began to glow, and she felt herself returning to her true body. Japolo appeared on the grass before her, still a little tired from his ordeal with the Mihan. And standing right next to her, tall and proud, was Graham. Lena sighed with relief, it was a success.

- - - -

I told you they'd meet in the next chapter, not that they'd have a profound reunion. My friend Phoebe thought that meeting through the fusion technique would prove quite entertaining.


	6. Action

****

Action

"What happened?" asked Graham, utterly confused, "I suddenly felt like I wasn't in my own body anymore?" He looked to his side, and his heart skipped a beat. There, before him, was the one person he longed to see more than anything else. It was the woman who he desired to protect with his very life. No doubt it had been part of what the little ferret said to him, bringing a Partner back from the dead. It was the biggest irony Graham had ever known, helping his Princess's new Partner to look for her, so she could look for him in order to bring him back with her to the living realms. A small smile crossed his lips, the first in months. Japolo sat grooming himself, wondering what exactly Tiara would say to her first Partner.

"You were. We were all in one body, combining our powers to fight the Mihan Demons. I didn't know that it could activate on its own. I thought that I needed a spell to combine our souls. But I'm glad you're back Graham. I wanted to say that I was sorry, for what I said to you that night. I was upset, I only thought about Kagetsu being hurt. But he told me that you restrained yourself, that you were just reeling from what happened on the mission. At least everything is ok in the end," Tiara stated. She felt like she could barely look Graham in the eye, fearing that he thought her actions had sent him to his death.

Graham replied, "It's ok, I deserved it for starting a fight for no reason. But remember, I would give my life for you at any time, Tiara." He knelt before her, hoping she wasn't mad at him for trying to fight with Kagetsu a second time. At least that time something was really wrong, he had a better reason for it.

Tiara smiled a little. "I'll forgive you if you forgive me. I should have listened when you said that something was wrong with Kagetsu. If I had, I may have been able to figure out what was wrong and you wouldn't have had to fight with him in the cave of the Throne of Yord. But from what happened afterwards, especially now that I could bring you back, everything worked out for the better." They walked away as Tiara explained to Graham what had happened during the mission to bring the Throne of Yord back to its home.

"It looks like the two of them are happy, Miss Lena," stated Leon, "I guess Tiara and Graham have a few problems to work out, but it'll all turn out ok for them." He sighed, wishing that things could turn out ok for him as well. Leon knew that Lena had a lingering crush on Kagetsu, but he too was in love with his lady. Tiara also loved Kagetsu, so Leon had always counted on that as a buffer, and to buy him time. Although not forbidden, it was rare for a Partner to marry the Magic User that summoned him or her. If Tiara became Divine Sorceress, Lena would have a better chance at snagging Kagetsu, since Tiara would then become ageless. It may feel weird for Kagetsu to live his life aging and dying while she stayed young, especially since her Partner was back. The look in Graham's eyes was so similar to his own when he looked at Lena.

"Of course she does. You know, it would be funny if we hooked up both Tiara and Graham, I knew he had feelings for her all along. But he didn't want to hurt Tiara, since she loved Kagetsu. I wonder if it was because of Graham that he decided to go to the mountains in the first place. No, that wouldn't feel quite right, I don't want to look like I'm forcing Tiara to do anything like that," Lena stated. It didn't concern the mission or their own rivalry. Besides, it wasn't like Lena felt confident enough with her own feelings.

* * *

Sienna was reading her book when Tiara entered with Japolo and Graham. By now, the two of them had made up for every little fight they'd had over those last few days. It was almost as if it never happened. Graham, if you could well believe it, wasn't that mad at Kagetsu for killing him. He was more mad at him for making Tiara go through so much turmoil. Of course, he knew it to be a blessing in disguise, now his lady was more powerful. She would be able to survive fighting against any adversary that they came across.

Sienna said, "Good, you've made it back with your Partner. I'm glad. Now, we must prepare for the final test. In a day's time, the potion will be ready. I will recite the spell over it, and then my agelessness will transfer from me to you. I will be a simple mortal, but with my Divine Sorceress powers still intact. At that time, I will seek out the Mihan Leader, and kill him. You will continue on the legacy, and protect the Guardian world from attacks by the lesser Mihan Demons. Now, I need a small sample of hair to begin."

Tiara walked up to her, and pulled out a single strand. Sienna did the same. They added the two to a small bowl that Miro had placed upon the table. Then, Yami began to shred a herb with her claws in order to add it to the mixture. "We need the energy from this Kara - - the life giving fruit - - to complete the task. Also, we require a leaf of the Senel Tree which lies outside, and a small Varica stone. That lies in the caves in a section of the hills to the north of this cabin. It would be advisable to go together in the quest to find it. I've heard some of the stronger Mihan Demons have begun to roam about that area looking for victims."

"Well, that shouldn't be too bad," Tiara stated, "I'm sure that Graham, Japolo, and I can take care of those Mihan Demons. When I transformed, I obliterated an entire force of Ryukami that had found their way into the Land of the Dead. We can go and be back as soon as possible, then we can make the potion." She looked to Graham, who nodded. As did Japolo, once he returned from jumping out the window and getting the leaf of the Senel Tree needed. He landed on Tiara's shoulder, ready to go.

"Just to be on the safe side, you should take your friend Lena along. Probably, you'll have to camp for the night, it's pretty far. That's why I said the potion would take a day to make. You see, the Mihan will know how you killed the Ryukami. They will be waiting with new tricks in order to kill you," Sienna warned.

Although not too happy about having to work with her rival, Tiara saw the sense in the argument. Sienna knew what she was talking about, living a millennia would do that to you. As Yami began to shred the leaf in order to add it to the potion, the young sorceress and her two Partners left the room. Outside, they saw Lena and Leon, still hanging around and resting in the sun. Upon seeing them, Lena got up.

The woman stated, "I guess Sienna has given you another assignment in order to become her successor. Whatever it is, I take it you will be going on another trip." Lena sighed, Tiara always got all the luck. Kind of weird when your rival seemed to have every advantage on her side from outside sources.

Tiara looked at Lena. "I know you and I are rivals, but Sienna wants us to work together. Since this is to protect the Guardian World, we can use that common goal of saving our home and Sara in order to keep peace between us for the time." She held out her hand, and Lena shook it to signal their truce.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Word…

Don't seem much like rivals now, do they? To me it appeared like a friendly rivalry. They fought when on opposite sides, but knew when it was best to join forces under the common goal of protecting themselves, Kagetsu, their Partners, and Sara. Also, Lena did visit Tiara in solitary to introduce her to Leon. Tells me that they were still friends deep down, but were at competition to be better at magic than the other. Ok, here's how Sara can be a common goal this time. If the Mihan are trying to destroy the Guardian World, wouldn't they go for the Throne of Yord? Sara is now the dominant persona of the talisman/painting so if it is destroyed she would die. She was the one person that nobody was mad at during the entire show.


	7. Firelight Thoughts

****

Firelight Thoughts

The team traveled north, through the hills. By nightfall, they'd arrived in the general area where the cave was located. But it was too late to do anything about it, they would have to rest in order to be in top condition for the morning. Then, the Princesses and their Partners would go in and find the Varica stone.

Lena agreed to take the first watch, she wasn't that tired. Then, she would wake Leon, who would wake Tiara, who would wake Graham. Japolo wasn't of much use on the watch by himself, since he wasn't big enough to fight against a large number of opponents. Nor would it be easy for him to wake the others in time. But if something really strange began happening, they could always wake him to scan the area.

As the young woman watched the fire as it rose up into the night, her mind began to wander. 'Why Kagetsu, why have you kept us out of your problem? I must be right, and you are feeling like you and Tiara have been through too much. You want to find out if it is best to continue your relationship, after you killed her Partner. I know you didn't regret what you did, stealing the Throne of Yord, you just regret that you were unable to do it any other way.' She threw another log onto the fire, and let out a sigh. This was troubling.

'If it had something to do with Graham and Tiara, why didn't he just talk to me or Sara?' she mused, 'We would keep the secret, if he so wanted it. There's no reason he should always face it alone. If only I was more honest with my own feelings, then maybe I could be of more help to Kagetsu in his hour of need.'

Just then, Lena heard a small mumbling. Turning around, she saw it was only Leon, talking in his sleep. But from the sounds of it, he was dreaming about battling the Mihan Demons, and protecting Lena in any way possible. She'd always commended her Partner for his loyalty. Leon never would desert Lena when she was in need, and was always ready to fight for her. A good thing, since the young woman often had no desire to dirty her hands. Unlike Tiara, Lena wasn't that fond of getting in the thick of battle so often.

"Miss Lena, watch out. Lend me your powers, I'll kill them for you *yawn*," Leon muttered. It made the young woman giggle a little bit, he was such a sweetheart, the true definition of a Partner. Even Graham could not equal his loyalty, and he'd devoted his entire life to serving Tiara and making sure she was safe.

Lena whispered, "Leon, something feels different about you lately. I didn't think your loyalty could get any stronger, feared the Throne of Yord incident would weaken it. But you stuck by my decision to help Kagetsu out, no matter the consequences. The Elder was surprisingly not mad at us when we got back. I thought all three of us would be in solitary for weeks when he found out we'd tampered with it. Now, with a great evil army at our backs, you still don't waver. I wonder, why do I feel these strange sensations now?"

But her questions were unanswered. Lena knew her feelings for Kagetsu, but she was unable to act on them. One consequence was that she was shy around him. The other side effect of those feelings was that she was unable to realize what exactly the strange sensation she'd felt around Leon exactly was.

* * *

Tiara was on third watch that night, sitting around bored. She'd also gotten Japolo up so he could scout from the trees. The little ferret's eyes were the best in the team, and he also had his sensory powers to help. This freed Tiara up a little, she really needed to think a bit. Specifically, think about Graham. By bringing him back to life, she had begun feeling a little differently towards him. Something strange had gone through her, something she wasn't quite expecting on happening. 'What is it? It almost feels like how I was around Kagetsu when we started going out. Could I be falling in love? Did the absence of Graham make me want him in a new way? I feel as if my whole world is completely changed now, maybe I should ask Sienna. She would know how she felt when she brought Miro back to life, if it was anything similar to this feeling.'

"Tiara," Japolo called, "It is all clear up here. I cannot sense the Mihan Demons in this area. It is a safe bet that they are all sleeping, biding their time until they can catch us off our guard. You did well in suggesting we take turns standing guard. The Elder was right in choosing you and Lena for this mission."

"Well Japolo, I'd have to say that's one of the nicest things you've ever told me. But I know that the Elder trusted me, and that's why he sent us," Tiara replied. She'd known all along that the Elder didn't just do this as a favor. Out of the three possible candidates he could find, only she could ignite any confidence in him. Perhaps it had to do with her conquering the Throne of Yord in order to save her friends and Partner.

She thought, 'In any case, I am committed now. I promised him that I'd follow Lady Sienna's plan, and save the Guardian World. Ok, so she'll do the actual fighting. But I will be the one who has to carry her burden so she can do so. Although our roles are different, they are both equally important. Sometimes I think that about Magic Users and their Partners. They have different skills, but are needed just the same.'

Eying Graham as he slept, Tiara sighed. She knew that something was different about her feelings towards him. Even if it was simply a renewed sense of friendship, she didn't care now. Eventually, the young Princess would figure it out for herself, and then she would be able to help the two of them to find the path they would have to take. At least now he was back, and she could no longer regret what happened.

* * *

Finally, morning settled over the hills. They would have to keep on going to look for the exact cave that Sienna had mentioned. Tiara and Lena packed their bags, while Graham and Leon kept watch over the area. When the girls had finished, they divided the luggage amongst the four so no one had to carry too much. Then, the team set out once more, continuing north. If Japolo's senses were correct, they only had to go this way for about a half hour, and then they'd be turning eastwards for another until they found it.

'We will discover this stone,' silently vowed Tiara, 'Then, who knows what will happen. We could find victory, or be defeated by the Mihan Demons. But until the end, I'm never going to give up fighting.'

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Word…

Yes, I'm insane. I wanted to have Tiara and Lena begin to wonder about their own feelings, continued more later. Only then, we'll at Grahm and Leon into the mix.


	8. Hillside Journey

****

Hillside Journey

"So, Japolo," Tiara asked, "How much further is it? We've been walking for the entire morning, yet still no sign of the cave? You said about an hour at the most, one half north and one half east." Her temper had begun to flare, causing a little spring of fear in the team. No one had ever seen Tiara this mad before.

"I don't know. I think the Mihan Demons are trying to flood my senses. It is almost as if they block any energy of the stone from getting through. I believe they want to stop us, so we don't acquire it. But they don't know us too well. You at least would search until hell froze over in order to find the stone," her Partner stated. He knew her too well, Tiara wasn't about to let a few demons stop her from her mission. Heck, even the Throne of Yord one worked out successfully, even though she'd bent the rules a bit to do it.

Tiara replied, "You bet I would. Nothing'll ever stop me. Those beasts don't know what they've gotten themselves into. They don't realize who exactly they're fighting. Besides, if things get to hairy, I have the power of Ultima on my side. And while I'm fighting like that, Lena and Leon are also here to back us up. So there's no way that we can lose. Now then, let's go. Even if it is the long way, we'll find it."

So they continued onwards. When noon hit, Lena took out the picnic lunch she'd packed. In the days when they were kids, Sara had been the best cook, followed closely by Lena. Tiara was always all thumbs in the kitchen, she'd rather fight her way through something. So it was usually one of the other two to do the preparations for picnics the girls would go on. Without Sara around, this task fell solely on Lena.

Leon set out a large blanket for his Princess to put their lunch on. Then, the four humans and one ferret began chomping down on their food. Japolo had an apple, while the others enjoyed hot soup and sandwiches The soup had been cooked back at the cabin, and kept warm by a special pot that Sienna had lying around. Inside it, soup and other foods could remain at the set temperature for weeks without fear.

Leon smiled. "I must say Miss Lena, you have really outdone yourself this time. This soup is the best I have tasted from you in all the time I have served you." Under her breath, Tiara muttered something to the extent of, "Suck up," but nobody heard her. Although her following giggles made both her Partners stare at her like something was wrong. Not that Tiara noticed, she was too intent on eating her food to see it.

When lunch was finished, they began to go onwards once more. Japolo was still trying his best to get a whiff of the stone's energy, but to no avail. However, he did succeed in finding where the energy of the Mihan was at its most potent. That could very well be where the stone was hidden, so they headed to it.

"Miss Tiara," Graham inquired, "Might I speak with you for a moment? Just the two of us?" There was a sense of urgency in his voice. Even his words about Kagetsu some months back hadn't been this rushed. She knew something had to be up, and only she could find out exactly what was going on here.

"Ok Graham, what's on your mind? Is it something to do with the battle we are about to face? I know it seems impossible, but we have to think positive. Then again, telling you that won't do anything. You don't care about the odds, only that you are protecting me. I'm grateful, Graham," Tiara told him, as a blush began to cover her face. She had no idea what was going on, why was she feeling this way now?

Graham informed her, "It is about my situation, me coming back from the dead like that. I know you came for me, to bring me back, but do I really deserve this second chance you have so graciously given me Tiara? You could have refused the mission, this was more of a request than an order. It was dangerous there, the demons had come to stop you. And you faced them all for me. I never wanted you to go to such dangerous lengths for me, your life is much more important. So why did you risk it all just to save me?"

Tiara looked at him, amazed at his worry. "First of all Graham, you're more than my Partner. You are my friend, and friends always do that for one another. I mean, risk their lives to save the other one. It is plain impossible to go to the Land of the Dead without the Elder's consent. Second, I felt like I had to at least see you one more time in order to make up for the fight we had. You dying without us being able to sort out what happened made me feel empty inside. And third, which is the least important, I would have been in more danger if I didn't go. If I refused, I'd have to buy time for another one of the girls to take the test to become a Divine Sorceress. Basically, it would be suicide. I stood a better chance at saving you."

"Well, I thank you Tiara," Graham said, "Thank you for this body you gave me, the claw you made for my ruined arm, and this new life to fight by your side. I promise to never leave you again." He looked at her with his one good eye, and she began to smile a little bit at him. At last, they were completely over the meaningless fight that had divided them all those months ago. Now, Tiara was finally whole once more.

* * *

Finally, at around three PM, they arrived at the cave with the Varica Stone inside. Tiara ran forward in order to grab some. The red stone was stuck to the walls of the cave, and hard to budge. In the end, she called Graham over. Using his metal claw like a pick, the young man was able to pry the rock from the wall and hand it to Tiara. She stashed it away in her bag, so they wouldn't lose it on the return journey to the cabin. It would not do for them to return to Sienna's, only to find the object of their mission was missing.

"Well, no use staying around here any more. Let's go back. Then, at last, we can make the potion and this whole journey will be over," stated Tiara. Her voice was wistful, she knew what awaited her. Years and years of living in solitude, just studying her sorcery and trying to make a living. Meanwhile, Lena would get old and die peacefully, as would Kagetsu. Well, at least she'd still have Graham, Japolo, and Sara to talk to. It might just make the young girl's soul happy to know her friend would visit her for countless years to come, perhaps a few thousand. They knew Kagetsu's biggest worry would be what happened when they all died. Would Sara fall into sleep due to loneliness, and the Throne of Yord become what it once was?  


Suddenly, a low growl was heard. When the team turned around, they saw Ryaions, Lions with the wings of Dragons. It appeared as if the Mihan had found out their little mission, and were here to fight with the team once more. Tiara and Lena held out their hands, it was time for the battle to begin once again.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Word…

Ryaions, you ask? Well, it means Ryu as in Dragon, Raion as in Lion. Again, much better than the lame-o names I used to make. It's so cool to know a foreign language.


	9. Demon Battle

****

Demon Battle

The Ryaions were closing in on the Princesses and their Partners. At least two dozen of them stood blocking the exit to the cave. Japolo was on all fours, growling, while the others stood in a fighting stance. Tiara gritted her teeth, it looked like it was going to be a hard battle. How could they conquer so many? If they were to get out of this alive, the young woman would have to unleash Ultima once more.

"Ok then," Tiara began, "Graham, Japolo, let's go. We use Ultima's power to fight them. There aren't half as many of these as there were Ryukami back in the Land of the Dead. Then, we can finish the mission." She began to concentrate, focusing on her Partners like she had done back then. Just before the transformation had occurred, Tiara had been sick with worry over Japolo, and wonder over whether she could find Graham at all. The young woman hoped it would be the key for bringing out the power of Ultima again.

But this time, something was different. Whether it was because the lifelines weren't being used to connect them, or the fact that the Land of the Dead had different wavelengths, Ultima didn't want to show herself to Tiara. Most likely, there was a secret that Sienna hadn't quite gotten around to teaching her yet.

"Looks like we're going to have to fight the usual way then. Leon, are you ready?" inquired Lena. Her Partner nodded, and she began to play her flute. Power transferred from Lena to Leon, as a helmet of energy formed around his head. A few seconds later, he began transforming into his demon form. Leon's hair grew longer and white, his muscles began bulging, and he developed claws. When the transformation was completed, Leon ran at the Mihan, slashing them. Lena looked, without her power it was all up to him.

Tiara commented, "Well, I can't let Lena and Leon have all the fun. If I can't use Ultima, I'll just call upon my other transformation. Powerful subjects, show me the source of your powers. Fulfill your contract with Tiara! Fulfill your duty! That is an order!" Surrounded by a whirlwind, Tiara transformed into her own demon form. She rose up into the air on her wing like hair, and ran at the Mihan Demons before her. Then, she struck out at one, and killed it. A Ryaion tried to jump for her, but it found itself strangled by Graham.

He looked to her, standing in a fighter's stance. "If we work together, we can win. Miss Tiara, allow me to go out in front, to block them from taking shots at you while you fight." He transformed his arm, and attacked the three that were heading for Tiara's back. While he was doing that, Japolo was off to one side putting up a stasis field around the combatants. It looked like this was going to be a long fight indeed.

Leon punched one into the cave wall, killing it on impact. Another tried to attack from the rear, but was caught in time and pummeled to the ground. At the same time, Lena was continuing to play her flute, using the little power she hadn't transferred to Leon in order to strengthen her defenses. Usually, that was unnecessary, but with so many enemies she had no choice. She smiled as Leon took another one down.

Finally, all of the Ryaions were dead. Leon sent Lena back her power, and fell to his knees. Never, even when battling with Tiara, had he been so exhausted. The Mihan were all they were told and more. On the other side of the cave, Tiara was helping Graham, who had taken a blow to his side. She'd killed the demon before he could strike again, and become more than just a bruise, but didn't want to take any more unnecessary chances against such a foe. These were no ordinary demons that the team was up against.

"Well, it looks like we're all ok," commented Tiara, "We should get going back towards Sienna's house. Then, we can have a nice dinner, and prepare for the final part of the ceremony." A wistful thought went through her head, this would be her last day as a normal human being. Come tomorrow, she would be an ageless sorceress living in a remote area of the hills in order to better prepare for the next Mihan attack.

Suddenly, a low growl was heard from the back of the cave. Then they saw something moving, as if it was waiting for this moment to come towards them. When it came into view, Tiara gasped. It was ten feet tall, and the shape of a dragon with pure black scales. Knife like spines went down its back, and the beast looked like it was really hungry. If what Sienna's guidebook said was true, then this creature was one of the Ryami, a superior race of the Mihan Demons. It would be as strong as a hundred of the Ryaions.

'It was probably waiting for us all to be exhausted. With us unable to fight back in full force, we will be easy prey. This looks like it'll be even tougher than that large group. Maybe now it'll be a good choice to fall back, find a spot to hide and strike when the time is right. Even leading it out into the open would do us some good,' mused Japolo. Hopefully, Tiara would listen to him, she was too stubborn at the worst times.

But before he could make his suggestion known, Graham ran forward and slashed at the beast with his claw. Being that this was one of the upper level demons, most of its body was invulnerable to attack, and the strike did little good. The only thing that happened was he was thrown backwards at the cave wall.

Tiara screamed, "Graham!!!!!!!!!!!!" Her rage began building, and she transformed once more. Flying at top speed, she struck the demon at the vulnerable spot under the jaw. It didn't kill the Ryami, but it did have the effect of making it mad. Both Tiara's hands and the Mihan Demon's claws met, and they began to grapple with one another. But surprisingly, Tiara wasn't being pushed back at all. If anything, she was the one with the advantage. Eventually, she broke free, sending the Ryami reeling, and killed it when the area under its jaw was speared with a diamond that was stuck in the wall of the cave where the impact occurred.

Graham got up, a little bit shaky due to the strength of the impact, and looked at Tiara. She had a disheveled appearance due to all of the fighting, but was none worse for the wear. "Miss Tiara, what in the world happened to you? If you need, I will carry you back to Sienna's. Then, he slumped to the floor on his knees, the pain from his shoulder wound beginning to get to him. Yet he gritted his teeth, and smiled.

"You are in no condition to do that," Tiara warned him, "Don't worry, I'm not hurt. We'll get you back to the cabin and into a nice warm bed. In the meantime, let me have a look at that shoulder, we should put bandages on it so we can keep it from bending too far and hurting you more." She smiled right back at him.

Japolo looked from his Princess to her first Partner. It looked as if they were getting closer by the day. Perhaps soon there would be some sort of stronger connection occurring. For now, there only objective was to bring back the Varica Stone to Sienna, so she could make the potion to finish the mission.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…

Ryami comes from Ryu (dragon), and Yami (darkness). Again, I just love Dragons. They're the most kawaii monsters…


	10. New Sorcery

****

New Sorcery

The walk back took much less time than getting there. By eight o' clock, they could see the lights of Sienna's cabin. Yami was sitting out front, looking for all the world like she was bored. When she saw the five returning from the cave, she let out a sigh of relief. Obviously, their late return had sparked worry.

"What in the world happened?" the cat inquired, "You should have been there before noon, and back way before dinnertime. But here you are, hours late, waltzing in like nothing was wrong. Lady Sienna is having a near conniption, worried you were all killed. She feels like its her fault for sending you, we ran out of Varica Stone last week after she used it all in an experiment trying to foresee what was to come. Of course, that didn't work out so well and you all had to go get more to make up for her wasting what we had."

"Had a little problem with the Mihan blocking energy readings. My Partner led us around in circles before finally finding it, and then we had a run in with some of the beasts themselves," Tiara stated, giving Japolo a hard stare. She certainly hadn't enjoyed the little mess they'd gotten themselves into back there.

At that moment, Sienna came outside after hearing Yami's voice chiding someone. Upon seeing Tiara and the others, she said, "It's good you're all ok. I was worried. Now then, we should begin working on the stone right away. One problem though, the spell to make the potion effective must be chanted in the light of the day. So we will have to wait for tomorrow in order to finish. I only hope that this doesn't cause any more problems, we're already in pretty deep with the Mihan." She sighed, worrying over the enemy. If they were to come before the potion was ready, there might be some unnecessary complications to think about. What if one struck down Sienna before she could recite the chant? Then, the knowledge that the past Divine Sorceresses left imbedded inside of her would be lost to the Guardian World for all eternity.

Tiara, however, wasn't thinking about that. Her only problem was what would happen to her after she became the true Divine Sorceress. How would Kagetsu react to that? Would he ignore her even more than he was now. That would be saying something alright. But it was for the safety of the Guardian World, her friends, and her own life that she did this. Better to have Kagetsu ignore her than him getting smashed to bits by the Mihan when they began their invasion. Besides, she was feeling much differently about her own feelings now. Unexpected emotions were creeping into her brain, causing her to think like a new girl.

Japolo looked to her, she was almost in a trance. "Oh, Tiara, can you hear me? What in the name of the Throne of Yord are you thinking about?" He waved his paw in front of her face, causing her to blink. At that moment, she seemed to snap out of it, and followed Sienna inside to her study. The others went in right behind her, they all wanted to see exactly what would happen. Yami was last, yawning as she walked.

In the study, they found Miro reading a book. When he saw everyone, he got up out of the chair and gave it to Sienna. She sat down, and placed the bowl with the hair, Kara and Senel Leaf on the table in front of her. Then, Tiara dropped the Varica Stone into the pot, and it began to bubble over just a little bit.

"The first part of the spell can be done at any time," Sienna informed them, "But the second must wait until tomorrow in the mid-afternoon. But only the Divine Sorceress and her successor can be present, so the rest of you should just get some sleep. Don't worry, the house is spelled against enemy attack, no Mihan Demons will strike while we slumber. It would be a good idea to not stray too far from here until after they are taken care of." With that, she shoed Lena, Leon, Graham, Japolo, Miro, and Yami out of the room.

* * *

"Sienna, I've been meaning to ask you something. What was it like for you when you brought Miro back to life? Did you begin feeling different towards him? I don't know, but something seems to be out of place in my own brain lately. Strange feelings come over me whenever I look at Graham," Tiara admitted.

Sienna told her, "Well, before he died, Miro was more than my Partner. He and I were in love. I know, few Partners and Magic Users fall for one another, but we were one of the exceptions. We had just recently become parents when it happened, a daughter. But then, one day, the Mihan Demons showed up at our door. Miro brought time for me and Lilly to escape, but he died in the assault. The previous Divine Sorceress, Adelie, found me weeping for my love in the middle of the flower fields. She took pity on me and my child, and brought us to the safety of her cabin. When the Elder inquired about finding a successor for Adelie, she immediately inquired if I could be it. I took all of the tests, and was able to become the Divine Sorceress. Adelie survived the battle, and became like a second mother to Lilly. I remember when she died she told me that my daughter would beget powerful heirs unto this world. Adelie was almost a prophet. And she was correct. For Tiara, you are one of those heirs, one of the descendants of my only child, Lilly."

Tiara looked shocked. "So you are my ancestor? Well, that's an interesting twist to the story. But that still doesn't answer my question, about what is going on with me. I want to know if something is wrong that is jeopardizing my friendship with Graham. I can't help but feel weird when I'm around him right now."

"Well, love is a complex thing, my dear," Sienna commented, "I don't know about you, but you could have developed these feelings due to his absence. You felt like you had lost him forever, so you had begun to feel regret for everything that had gone wrong between you two. But under those regrets, were the feelings you had. You had regretted never making up for the fights you spoke of, which lead to you having regrets at not being able to realize that through it all, you felt a new kind of emotion growing for him. It was not because you revived him, nor because he died that you fell in love. You were just unable to see what you felt until now. I don't blame you one bit, if what Lena said about your old boyfriend's looks and charm wasn't over exaggerated. It is not uncommon to feel love for two, but you must chose which one you want."

'A few months ago, it would have been Kagetsu hands down. I always cared about Graham, but we were on the outs and Kagetsu was forever taking care of me outside of battle. My mind told me that the only reason Graham helped me was because he was my Partner, but Kagetsu had no obligation to do the same things. However, now things have changed too much. Kagetsu left me to live in the mountains and think. He wanted to sort out his own destiny, to figure out where we could go. But that has also given me time to think as well. Now, with Graham back from the dead, my thoughts have begun to center on the true destiny I must fulfill, and the love that I should have pursued a long time ago,' Tiara mused. Her feelings were beginning to fall into place, and the Mihan were closing in on them. She now knew what she must do.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…

Thought it'd be interesting. Tiara descended of the current Divine Sorceress, and now becoming the successor. A miracle has occurred, dear readers. I spelled successor the right way, without having to use Spellcheck to correct myself. I'm in such a good mood, that I'll have a party…


	11. Romance

****

Romance

Tiara walked into the room that Graham had been given, which was right next to her own. A single door connected the two, just in case of an emergency. Japolo had already fallen asleep on the windowsill, but Graham was just laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't even seem to notice that Tiara had come in, as his good eye was turned away from the door and he wasn't paying attention to the sounds.

"Graham," Tiara began, "There's something I need to talk to you about. It's important. I need your help to figure out a dilemma I've been having over the last few days." She sat on the chair by the des, as her Partner got out of his daydream. Shaking himself awake, Graham sat up as well, and looked at her.

"Miss Tiara, are you sure you don't want to sit on the bed? If you are uncomfortable with it, I can always take the chair. The bed is much softer, and I would gladly give up my comforts for you," he told her, all while smiling. It was always a rare thing to see Graham smile, and this made Tiara smile as well.

She told him, "I'm ok Graham, it's just that my feelings have been. . .well, changing as of late. I suddenly don't seem to be as attracted to Kagetsu as I once was. He's been up in those mountains since the spring, and I think that distance has taken its toll. Seems like the two of us won't be getting back to what we once were. But I also think that I'm feeling love for another man as a result of these past few days."

Graham began to wonder who exactly that man was. With all his heart, he wanted it to be him. But how could someone as pretty and graceful as Tiara fall for a misshapen being such as himself? For so long he'd wanted to hold his Princess, to kiss her as Kagetsu had done. But pure loyalty to her and longing for her happiness over his own made him keep back. The only time he ever came close to giving in to his urges was that rainy night after she'd gotten out of solitary, when she was punishing him for fighting Kagetsu in the field. All he wanted was to warn her that something was wrong, she could very well be letting her spirit be broken, and in the end it got him wounded. "I'm sorry to hear about what happened between you and Kagetsu, never wanted you to have to go through so much, but I hope you can find your happiness with this new person. You can count on me to assist you in any way I can." His smile began to turn downward,

"Graham, don't look at me like that," she told him, "You look much better when you smile, seeing that puts me at ease. I know, I wasn't the best of people in those last few days, chalk it up to the stress over the mission, and the festival. I didn't want to hear something else was wrong, not wanting to deal with another set of problems. So, I ignored the talk about how Kagetsu was acting strange, wanted things to be as normal as possible in my love life, at least until my stress was gone. Maybe, if I had listened, we all could have figured something out together. But now, things have gone too far to go back to how it was."

They looked at each other for a few moments, neither wanting to take their eyes off the other. Graham wished Tiara would just tell him what he could do for her, and Tiara was trying to find the right words to say to her Partner. It was lucky that Japolo was asleep, else he'd be putting his two cents in as well.

"Graham, I would like to tell you something, very important. Since the day you died, although I did not give into my grief, I was upset. I had never told you how sorry I was, never made up with you for the fight we had. But as time went on, I began thinking differently. This was not the only thing I never told you. I should have realized it long ago, but I was too stubborn to let the thought cross my mind. Graham, I am in love with you," she blurted out. Immediately, Tiara turned crimson with embarrassment over her words.

Graham's mind screamed out to him, telling him that it was ok to give into his secret longing. So he walked over to her, and took the young Princess in his arms. Then, he whispered, "So do I, Tiara."

* * *

Meanwhile, Leon and Lena were sitting around, in her room, finishing up some analysis on the Mihan battle tactics. Lena figured that if they thought things through, perhaps they stood a fighting chance against the enemy. But, sadly, it wasn't looking good. Blind luck and Tiara's rage over Graham's injury had caused the last big one to fall, but what if many of those ones attacked? There might not be any hope for her and Leon, as they were only here to use diversionary tactics in case Tiara was greatly outnumbered.

Leon was worried, his lady might die soon. He could care less if it was him, but Miss Lena needed to live on. This mission was way above all of their levels, the only reason Tiara became on par was her new powers as Divine Sorceress coming through. Soon, there might not be another chance to talk to Lena, to tell her how he really felt. Tonight may just as well have been his last chance, but he felt all tongue tied. Just like every other time he tried to tell Lena what was on his mind. He was afraid of stepping out of line and making her feel uncomfortable about things, even if he had to suffer more as a result of his own silence.

Lena looked over, wondering what was wrong with him. "Leon, are you ok? Worried about the fight with the Mihan. All we need is for Tiara to gain the Divine Sorceress skill, and then for Sienna to defeat the Mihan. But they may just as well fight us before that comes into play. I don't know what to do then."

"Miss Lena," he replied, "I. . .I have something I need to say to you. As you know, tomorrow is the day that Tiara and Sienna perform the transfer. After that, we will be free of this mission. But what if we are attacked before the potion can be finished? You might be killed, or maybe just me alone. Either way, I may never get another chance. . .to tell you how I feel. I love you, Miss Lena, ever since the day we first met."  


Lena looked shocked, Leon was in love with her? She sorted out every hint she had received in the past. First, he always wanted to fight in her place, even as he was being beaten up. Lena failed to notice how convenient it was, since she didn't like fighting to the extent that Tiara did. Second, he went on that crazy mission to save Sara, going against the Elder and everything. Japolo had told her that when Tiara courted the idea of helping Kagetsu he'd yelled at her. Finally, he gave into ever request she ever had, no matter how petty, without an argument. Like when he was asked to stop smoking back in the Other World.

"I. . .I never knew you felt like this," she whispered. All this time, she had been trying to find a way to tell Kagetsu how she felt, with no idea whether or not he still liked Tiara. But she had someone even closer to her who felt that way, that she couldn't see due to her dreams. With Kagetsu in the mountains, that obstacle seemed to be much further away, like a giant hurdle had been shrunk down to mouse size.

As Leon looked away, thinking he had brought discomfort to his lady, Lena told him, "Don't worry about a thin. Maybe, I feel the same way. This all seems like it pieces together a puzzle, you have always acted out of love for me. Just give me some time, Leon, this thought has never entered my mind before."

It was time for bed, and Leon was returning to his own room. Like Graham's, it was adjacent to the one inhabited by Lena. But as he went there, he could swear that his lady smiled at him through the door.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Word…

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…the sweet sound of love in the air. I just adore mush.


	12. Transformation

****

Transformation

The next afternoon, Tiara and Sienna were finishing the final stage of the potion. It had to be chanted under the sun of late afternoon, or it wouldn't work. Nerves began to set in, and beads of sweat began to form on the young Princess's brow. Her fate was sealed as of today, soon she would be the next ageless, Divine Sorceress. With the task of guarding her world from invasion, she would watch as the other people she'd grown up with got old and died; while she, Graham, and Japolo lived on in the hills. Finally, she would choose a successor like Sienna did, and either die in battle or live in a time not her own.

"Soon, Tiara," Sienna wistfully stated, "Soon it will be time. I know it hurts to leave your friends behind like this, but you must be strong. The fate of the Guardian World rests in our hands. You're a truly brave young lady, to take on this responsibility." She looked up at the sky, and let out a sigh of her own.

'Even Sienna is nervous. Probably misses all the people she left behind a millennia ago. I wonder how long it will take before I get like this?' mused Tiara as she looked around. She saw Graham, Japolo, Miro, and Yami sitting on the lawn; watching over their Princesses in case of an attack. Lena and Leon were off near a gnarled tree, reading up on the Mihan Demons for reference. One day, they might be asked to help deal with an invasion of smaller ones coming in large amounts, since Tiara can't be everywhere at once. The Elder usually assigned missions to people who had experience in the field if it was one of the odder ones. Tiara did, however, notice something different about Lena, a strange look when she saw Leon.

Lena thought, 'Funny, in less than a day since Leon told me his feelings, I have begun to see him in a new light. Could it be, that I too are falling in love with him? Perhaps, if we live through this, I'll find out.'

Sienna put her thumbs and forefingers together, while crossing the rest. It looked as if the second fingers made a pyramid shape when she did this. Tiara copied her stance. The older woman smiled. "Now, we just have to recite the chant, and you will become the new Divine Sorceress. Close your eyes."

Suddenly, a roar erupted from behind them. In came a huge variation of the Ryami, much bigger than the one fought in the cave. Almost as if that one was a child, and this the parent. But Sienna's book told them differently, this was the Ultimate Mihan Demon, one that was only seen from afar by the people who fought the Mihan. Its name was Ryultima. No one could ever hope to win against such a demon.

First, the monster breathed a long jet of fire at Tiara and Sienna. Although Graham and Miro had run to the rescue and saved their Princesses, the potion was ruined. Tiara would have to get more supplies and start again, if she lived through this at all. Next, the demon knocked down the gnarled tree, narrowly missing Leon and Lena. Finally, he attacked Sienna from behind, badly wounding the Divine Sorceress.

Although she would live, Sienna was in no condition to do battle. With a nod from Tiara, she was taken into the house to rest. It looked like it was up to her and her Partners to stop this, but she didn't know how to use the sacrificial spell. Or how to even become Ultima again. It looked like the end was near.

Ryultima prepared to attack Tiara in the same way, hoping to kill the more vulnerable girl who had no powers of agelessness; which seemed to soften blows as well as stop aging. But before he could, Graham body checked Tiara, knocking the two to the ground. As they came up, Tiara found herself in the arms of the one she truly loved. Holding her closely, Graham looked on at the Mihan demon with defiance.

"No one harms Tiara," he yelled, "Not unless they want to get through me first." The two of them were well aware that this might just be folly, they may die anyway, but to be so close to one another as they perished would be the happiest way that either of them could think of to go out. He pulled her closer.

'Use the chant, and don't be afraid child,' a voice echoed in Tiara's head. Suddenly, she knew the words to say, the words to become Ultima. As she lay in Graham's embrace, with Japolo perched on her shoulder, Tiara chanted, "Three souls, three powers, join together. Only through us can we achieve victory! San no Noryoku!" Winds began whipping all around them, and as they cleared, Ultima stood in the wake.

Leon looked to Lena, who nodded. She began playing her flute, transforming him once again. Leon ran at the Ryultima, ready to supplement Tiara, no Ultima's, attack. Someone needed to draw the attention of the beast, so it wouldn't kill them off. It would take only a second to gather the necessary power for the attack spell she used, but even a second can mean the difference between life and death on a battlefield.

Ultima rose up into the air, preparing for her attack. "Power of the Universe, come to me now. I am Tiara, Divine Sorceress, and master of Ultima. Aid me in this battle, to slay the enemies that lay before me. Now, Obliterate!" Energy began building up in her hands as she said those words. When the chant came to a close, Ultima dropped it on top of the Ryultima. With an ear piercing shriek, the creature perished.

* * *

Tiara woke up in her bed that evening. She felt like the whole world had gone fuzzy, wondering what happened back there. But when she looked up, she smiled again. Graham was sitting by her bedside, as Japolo stood on her nightstand. Lena had brought in a vase of flowers, with Leon right behind her with a second one. Finally, Sienna and her Partners were in the doorway, the Divine Sorceress looking like she was much better after being attacked earlier. Tiara wanted to sit up, but she felt dizzy the second she tried.

"Back down in bed," ordered Sienna, "You threw much more of your power into that shot than you did back in the Land of the Dead. I would advise resting a little bit before returning home. Looks like your little stunt ended up destroying the Mihan Demon responsible for every invasion throughout the years. I consulted with the Elder, and he said you are free to live your life out as an ordinary mortal like the others."  


"What about Graham? Will he die again?" she asked Sienna in a worried tone.

The Divine Sorceress replied, "No child, he will live on with you. Once he comes back, there's no way to get rid of him unless you kill him. Certainly, when Divine Sorceresses throughout the years were freed of their duties after finding a successor and winning the battle, they didn't have to send back the ones they rescued. Originally, Divine Sorceress was a title, not a position. It will be so again. You, Tiara, are a Divine Sorceress, and can live out your life in peace. May you and Graham find happiness together.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…

I've got an epilogue. Always do. Well, gotta tell how things turned out, it should be a short chapter. As well as set up for the sequel. Takes place 20 years from now, and talks about why in the world Kagetsu's been gone for so long. Oh, and I also have a soundtrack for the story. It will be up on my site following the epilogue. Here's a neater way to translate the fun phrases used for enemies and magic…

****

San no Noryoku: Power of three

Ryultima: Ryu=Dragon Ultima=Ultimate


	13. The End

The End

Time was good to the two Princesses and their Partners. After about a day, Tiara felt well enough to get out of bed. Two days later, she was able to teleport once more. Then, they waved goodbye to Sienna, and headed for home. Although still empty around there without Kagetsu or Sara, it was still the only homes they knew. Besides, what would Kagetsu think if the whole gang just showed up at his door uninvited, assuming they could find the place? He'd come home, eventually, and then they'd bug him.

By talking with Sara about their adventure next spring, she accidentally let it slip that he had a secret to keep, which kept him in the mountains. Although she wouldn't tell Tiara what it was, she did agree to keep their escapade in the hills to herself as well. But she could let it slip that something happened, just to get him to come down to the valley in order to find out exactly what. It almost reminded the three girls of when they were children, playing little tricks on Sara's older brother to get something.

Speaking of the spring, it was then that Graham and Tiara were married. Right during the Festival of Wind, I might add. Legend had it that you were blessed by the spirits if you joined in matrimony while a holiday was occurring. Besides, Tiara didn't want to have the Festival become a memory of the day Graham died and Kagetsu stole the Throne of Yord. Now, there was a happy memory to accompany this sad one.

Lena thought about it over and over again, and found that she was feeling differently towards Leon than she once was. Specifically, she felt nearly the same way she had been towards Kagetsu a year ago.

It wasn't too long after that, in the summer actually, that she and Leon ended up tying the knot themselves. Tiara couldn't help but laugh at the little bit of irony, how both her and her childhood friend and rival were married to their Partners at around the same time. Not that it bothered her, more chances to feast were always good. Japolo tried to lecture her at the wedding, and ended up getting stuffed in Tiara's bag. That started a little scuffle between the two, right in the middle of the party. Lena wasn't mad however, she began to giggle at the little bit of humor she had been given. Graham just tried to pry Tiara and Japolo apart.

Sienna recovered nicely from her wounds, and in only a few short weeks she was back to her old self again. Luckily, the Mihan Demon hadn't hit a vital area. But there was no need for her to transfer her agelessness to another, what with the ultimate Mihan Demon dead. So she began her research into a way to make her a normal mortal again. Well, in between the few little problems they had following that incident.

You see, with their leader dead, the Mihan had no direction. They didn't know when would be a good time to invade the Guardian World. Although none of the great ones requiring the power of Ultima were left, a good number of little ones could be just as much trouble. At least even a non-Divine Sorceress could take them on, so Sienna wasn't alone anymore in her struggle. But now the Guardian World was in danger from enemies all the time, no one knew when they would come and attack. Everyone must be on guard at all times. Soon, coalitions were created to deal with the demons in various areas of the world. Tiara and Lena were assigned to the one in the valley, although they would occasionally bet on who could kill more of the Mihan Demons in one surgical strike; with the use of Ultima or other transformations not allowed.

Nearly five years passed since the defeat of Ryultima. Tiara and Lena suddenly had a new contest to partake in. . .both were pregnant. They were betting on such things as who would have their baby first, and who would have an easier time. Well, they weren't allowed to fight in their condition, and they needed to have some sort of friendly contest. After all, the two of them were rivals after all, albeit friendly rivals.

Tiara was the one who gave birth first, but Lena seemed to have an easier time with hers. Teefa, daughter of Tiara, was born late in the winter; while Lena's daughter Lufia was born in mid-spring. When summer rolled around, the two women and their Partners got together for the first time in months, in order to celebrate the two births. After all, its not every year that a child is born to two of the most promising young Magic Users in the Guardian World. They had the party at Sienna's to show their children to the woman.

"Well, I see you all are doing well," Sienna stated, after Tiara had caught her up on their lives, "Tell me, did you ever hear from your young friend Kagetsu? Is he still in the mountains?"

"Actually, he sent me a letter. Basically he's found a new life up there, but he might end up coming back here for a visit some day. Doesn't know when though, he's gotta grow his own food to survive and the ground is a pain. But just to know he's alright makes me happy," Tiara informed Sienna as she held Teefa.

Lena added, "I wouldn't worry too much. What makes me happy is to know that he's happy up there. Perhaps he was uncomfortable after the Throne of Yord incident, and left to make amends."

They'd spoken about it for five years, and all agreed that it could very well be the reason. Tiara and Lena never stopped thinking about Kagetsu, he'd been both of the girls' first crush. But they knew they had to move on, he wasn't coming back to the way things used to be. Now, they had found their own happiness with their Partners. As she looked over to the side, at Graham, Tiara smiled.

'They say you never forget your first love. Well, I'm never going to forget Kagetsu as long as I live. However, his leaving me was for the best. It allowed me to think with a clear mind, when I had to pick the one I truly loved. Now, Graham and I can live out our lives together, as we raise this new life.'

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…  
  
No, this isn't a blatant SI. The two girls are simply named after me and my artistic partner. The names actually originated in some old RPGs for the SNES; Arcana and Lufia & The Fortress of Doom. They will grow up to have an adventure of their own. That will be in the sequel, when Kagetsu finally comes back to see his friends. Don't blame him, he had a hard life with all that farm work in order to harvest before the cold set in and killed the winter stock. Feel sorry for the guy, loses his sister and has to live with killing his girlfriend's Partner, even if it was in self defense. Sounded like he really respected Graham when he spoke to him by the monument in Episode 6. Ok, onto a little question some people may have. Where does the name Sienna come from? To answer…Sienna was this woman in Evergrace, who acted as sort of a guide after saving the heroine's life. She gave advice to both characters, and tried to help them as best she could. To Sharlene more than Darius.


End file.
